Phlox plant named ‘Dophloflapropipo’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Dophloflapropipo’, characterized by its upright and uniform plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; relatively freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; dense inflorescences with reddish purple-colored flowers with darker reddish purple-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Phlox paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPHLOFLAPROPIPO’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier, The Netherlands on Jan. 13, 2021, application number 2021/0129. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/or Applicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant, botanically known as Phlox paniculata and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dophloflapropipo’.

The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new early and freely-flowering Phlox plants with attractive flower color.

The new Phlox plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2013 in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection of Phlox paniculata identified as code number PA06-000055-001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Phlox paniculata identified as code number PA-0049, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in July, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since August, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Phlox have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dophloflapropipo’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dophloflapropipo’ as a new and distinct Phlox plant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniform plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3. Relatively freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Dense inflorescences with reddish purple-colored flowers with         darker reddish purple-colored centers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox differ from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Phlox have lighter reddish purple-colored flowers than plants of the female parent selection. In addition, plants of the new Phlox have non-variegated leaves whereas plants of the female parent selection have variegated leaves.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in plant habit as plants of the new Phlox are more uniform than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of Phlox paniculata ‘Ditosdre’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,597. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Phlox and ‘Ditosdre’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are more freely branching than plants         of ‘Ditosdre’.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox have smaller flowers than plants of         ‘Ditosdre’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Phlox plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Phlox plant.

The photograph comprises a top perspective view of typical flowering plant of ‘Dophloflapropipo’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the early summer in 17-cm containers initially in a glass-covered greenhouse and finished in an outdoor nursery in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Phlox production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were pinched one time one week after planting rooted young plants and were 32 weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Second Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox paniculata ‘Dophloflapropipo’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox             paniculata identified as code number PA06-000055-001, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox             paniculata identified as code number PA-0049, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at             temperatures about 26° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 days             at temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown             as a container and garden plant; upright and uniform plant             habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 32 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 35 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Branching habit: Relatively freely             branching habit; about three primary branches each with             about three secondary branches. Length: About 20 cm.             Diameter: About 4 mm. Internode length: About 2.5 cm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to about 35° from             vertical. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy.             Color: Close to 143A; if woody, close to 199B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 7.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Ciliate.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous; towards             the margins, rough; glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous; towards             the margins, rough; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 146D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, upper             surface: Close to 144A. Color, lower surface: Close to 146D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate and             salverform flowers arranged in compound terminal and lateral             panicles; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly depending             on position on inflorescence; freely flowering habit with             about 36 flowers per inflorescence and about 780 flowers             developing per plant during the flowering season.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant; sweet, pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 22             weeks after planting; plants flower during June and July in             the garden in The Netherlands; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Conical. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Color: Close to 67B; at the base, close to 157D.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 10 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 12 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 2.7 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower diameter, proximally.—About 3 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe             length: About 1.2 cm. Lobe width: About 1.5 cm. Lobe shape:             Obovate. Lobe apex: Rounded. Lobe margin: Entire, not             undulate. Lobe texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Lobe, when opening,             upper surface: Close to 67A; towards the throat, close to             74A. Lobe, when opening, lower surface: Close to 67D. Lobe,             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 67B; towards the             throat, close to 74A; venation, similar to lamina; color             becoming closer to 72C and towards the center, close to 74B,             with development. Lobe, fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 67D; venation, close to 67D; color becoming closer to 69A             with development. Throat: Close to 67D; venation, close to             67D. Tube: Close to 67B; venation, close to 67B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused towards the base; calyx, tubular. Length: About             7 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Subulate. Apex: Acuminate.             Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: When             opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 45° from lateral             branch axis. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy.             Color: Close to 143A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Up to 40° from peduncle             axis. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color:             Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: About 1.4 mm. Filament color: Close             to 155A. Anther size: About 1 mm by 2 mm. Anther color:             Close to 157A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close             to 155A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 1.7 cm. Stigma diameter: Less than 1 mm. Stigma shape:             Three-parted. Stigma color: Close to 145A. Style length:             About 1.2 cm. Style color: Close to 77B. Ovary color: Close             to 143A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Phlox. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about −37° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Phlox have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Phlox plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Dophloflapropipo’ as illustrated and described. 